The invention relates to a supported elastomer material for use in providing structures with enhanced erosion and/or fire resistance, to a method for preparing such uncured supported elastomer materials, and to a method for reinforcing a structure with such a material. The present invention has particular utility in reinforcing various aerospace components and the like, especially those having complex surfaces.
Composite and metallic aerospace components such as helicopter rotors, propellers, gas turbine engine fan blades, compressor airfoils, fan exit guide vanes, struts, nacelle gas path components and the like are expected to operate under a wide variety of environmental conditions. Typically, these components are exposed to impingement from high relative velocity particulate matter which causes the components to deteriorate. Further, extreme temperatures are frequently encountered.
Elastomer materials such as Viton.TM. have been studied and have been shown to provide effective erosion protection for composites or metals. Sheets of elastomer such as Viton have been used by directly applying this sheet to simple surfaces such as nosecone caps for gas turbine engines to provide effective erosion protection to same. The use of elastomer sheet in these instances is successful because the surface geometry of the component is very gentle, and an elastomer sheet can therefore be applied without significant wrinkling problems.
However, numerous components require enhanced erosion protection wherein the components do not have simple or gentle surface geometry. Examples of such components include helicopter rotors, propellers, gas turbine engine fan blades, compressor airfoils, fan exit guide vanes, struts, nacelle gas path components and the like. A recurring problem encountered during the application of sheets of elastomer to complex surfaces is the formation of wrinkles in the elastomer sheet material. Another problem frequently encountered during the application of elastomer sheet to complex surfaces are deep impressions caused for example by underlying carbon fabric ply. Such wrinkling and impressions lead to relatively large numbers of unacceptable parts, thereby increasing the overall cost of successfully fabricating reinforced aerospace components having complex surfaces. In addition, extreme thickness variations can result in the elastomer layer during fabrication leaving some areas inadequately protected.
It is clear that the need exists for a reinforcement material for use in reinforcing components having complex surfaces which addresses the foregoing problems.